


A list of bad decisions

by BlazingStarInInkyBlackness



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: (yay), Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sick Fic, Sick Michael, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-22
Updated: 2015-10-22
Packaged: 2018-04-27 09:01:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5042206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlazingStarInInkyBlackness/pseuds/BlazingStarInInkyBlackness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Michael really should not have gone into work that day. So really Geoff was just doing his job telling Michael to go home. So technically he didn't have to go with the man and maybe forcing him to  go to Geoff's apartment wasn't entirely within his job description but- who's he kidding? Geoff makes bad decisions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A list of bad decisions

**Author's Note:**

  * For [glackedandmullered](https://archiveofourown.org/users/glackedandmullered/gifts).



> WHOOOO HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHU!! So here, have some sick Michael!

A blank page sat on the table, frustrating in its perfection. Around the edges there were small tears, where it had been ripped from the book. It was slightly crinkled but it remained as white as ever. It remained as blank as ever.

Some people say there is a power in writing down your thoughts and feelings, putting them down on a page rather than keeping them in your head. Geoff stared down at the piece of paper in front of him and sighed, they were probably right.

He grabbed a pen and hovered his hand over the paper before dropping the pen back to the table and putting his head into his hands. Really there was only one thing he could write about, only one thing on his mind. Unfortunately that one thing was a certain curly haired employee.

Geoff groaned, picking the pen up again and scrawling at the top of the blank page;

**Reasons why Michael Jones is a bad idea**

  1. **He’s twelve years younger**
  2. **You’re his boss**
  3. **He’s straight**



Probably, probably straight Geoff reminded himself. He considered crossing it out for a moment but steeled himself. Probably was enough.

  1. **Not going to be interested in you**
  2. **A good friend**
  3. **He could do a lot better than me**



Geoff stared at the paper and sighed, pouring himself another glass. No way was he going to be sober if he was actually thinking of doing this, of writing this ridiculous list down. When he’d had a few more glasses he stared down at the page and flipped it over, scrawling on the back now.

**Reasons why it might work**

Geoff rationalised he needed a fair argument. Just listing the negatives wouldn’t bring him any closer. He tried to ignore the little voice in his head screaming at him that he was being an idiot. It spoke way too often.

  1. **We like the same stuff**
  2. **He’s cute**
  3. **He’s clever**
  4. **He’d let me down gently (probably)**
  5. **It’s legal now**



Geoff stared down at the last one in despair, taking another large gulp straight from the bottle. He wasn’t quite sure when he’d given up the glass but he didn’t really care. He needed this if he was going to continue.

He also had no idea when he’d thought about _marriage_ for Christ’s sake. This was wondering if they should date. It’s not as if- Geoff decided he most definitely needed more drink.

For a moment the only sound in the house was the gulping as more alcohol vanished. Then it was the sound of paper as the scrap was flipped over, back to the negatives

  1. **It could ruin our friendship**
  2. **It might ruin our job**
  3. **D** **on’t want to make things awkward**
  4. **V** **ery embarrassing if he doesn’t like me**
  5. **It would make him hate me**



That point didn’t need any more explanation. That was the reason Geoff needed the list after all, weighing up the pros and cons and trying to work out just how much of a bad idea this was.

  1. **His freckles**
  2. **He’s funny**
  3. **Don’t know that he’s straight**
  4. **I’ve got experience for two just in case**
  5. **He has a really nice smile**
  6. **He’d look good in a suit**
  7. **Our friends like each other**
  8. **His parents like me**
  9. **I like him**



Geoff wasn’t sure when he’d got back to the positive side, probably somewhere between the bottle being half full and empty. He stared at it ruefully before setting it on the floor. Last thing he needed was having it fall off the table for him to clean up later.

Geoff put his head back into his hands. He didn’t know what to do. He could keep on writing this list, could probably go on for days. But in the end it came down to two points;

**It would make him hate me**

**I like him.**

Geoff looked at that last point and dragged his pen through it, scrawling a new positive. With that he knew he’d gone too far that night, anymore and he might try talking to Michael. So Geoff dragged himself from the table and staggered into bed.

 

Michael looked like shit the next day. To be fair, so did Geoff. Apparently drinking a bottle of vodka after already being slightly buzzed was not a good idea. But even as he slumped into the office, cradling a coffee in one hand, he could see Michael’s state.

Rather than being bouncy and lively like normal the lad was just a bit- flat.

“Michael, you okay?” Geoff asked. Michael didn’t turn around immediately and Geoff frowned. The younger man didn’t have his headphones on but he was just staring at the screen in front of him. “Michael?” Geoff half rose as Michael finally noticed someone was talking to him.

He turned to Geoff and Geoff frowned. Michael looked terrible. His nose was red and his eyelids were drooping slightly.

“Yeah.”

Geoff winced at the sound of his voice, it was raspy and scratchy. Geoff stood and walked over, frowning down at the younger man.

“You look like shit.”

Michael glared up at him and was about to make a retort when he started to cough. Geoff stepped backwards as Michael continued to cough, as if he was trying to forcibly expel his lungs into his hand. When he was done he offered a shaky smile up at Geoff.

“’m fine.”

“Bullshit. Go home.” Geoff said, with a finality that normally worked. But Michael just frowned up at him and shook his head, twisting back to the computer.

“’m fine.” Michael croaked out, pulling up a file to be edited. Geoff dragged the man’s chair out, forcing him to look up.

“I’m your boss. Go home.”

Michael glared up at him for another moment before sighing, nodding and exiting the file he’d just brought up.

“Fine.” Michael muttered, obviously annoyed. He grabbed his bag and stood, shakily.

“You got someone to get you home?”

“I can drive.”

“No way are you driving like this.” Geoff said, frowning at the man. The list from the previous night came into his head and he tried to get rid of it, the list was irrelevant. This was him being a good boss, a good friend. No ulterior motive. He pushed that thought away before it could blossom any further.

“I’ll drive you. Just give me a mo.” Geoff hurried back to his own computer, taking his keys out of his bag. His hand hovered over his phone before he left it, knowing he’d be back soon enough.

 

Michael was silent on the car journey there, lying slumped back in his seat. Geoff was actually surprised that the man had made it into work that morning, he looked totally wiped.

When they made it to Michael’s apartment complex Geoff hesitated before shaking Michael gently. The Jersey boy took a moment to come back to himself before opening the car door and walking up to the door.

He barely made it half way before Geoff was out of the car, following him. When Michael raised an eyebrow in confusion Geoff just shook his head.

“I’m gonna get you settled in before I go.”

Michael nodded, sniffed slightly and walked up the stairs.

Geoff walked into Michael’s apartment and was hit by how messy it was. Michael didn’t even manage to apologise for the mess, instead just walking into the living room and collapsing onto the couch.

Geoff frowned before walking into the kitchen. While he was there he could help Michael a little bit. A quick glance through the kitchen found it empty. Well, that wasn’t quite true. He had a half empty bottle of ketchup and a mouldy loaf of bread.

Not quite gourmet food.

But the younger man could do what he liked, Geoff reasoned, closing the fridge. He’d just pop in at lunch and snag some food on the way. So then Geoff went in search of blankets, noticing how Michael was already flushed, probably well on his way to developing a serious fever.

But his search yielded nothing and that made Geoff pause. He just didn’t feel right leaving Michael in a place like this, cold and foodless. He checked in on Michael and cursed as he saw shivers running through the man.

Geoff debated for another second before striding over to the couch and shaking Michael awake again. The man looked sleepily up at him.

“Come on, you’re not staying here.”

Michael groaned slightly as he stood again and they began to walk from the apartment, Michael shivering in earnest now.

 

Geoff’s house wasn’t spotless but it had food and it had blankets. Geoff layered several of these over Michael as the man continued to cough and shiver. Geoff grabbed a thermometer and gave it to Michael who whined slightly at the sight.

When Geoff read off the number he couldn’t stop his eyebrows from shooting up. That number was a not good number. A very not good number.

“Shit Michael, you’re staying right there.”

“Geoff I’m-”

Whatever Michael was going to say was cut off as he began to cough fiercely. Geoff patted him gently on the back, frowning. When Michael finally stopped he crashed back against the couch and groaned.

“Stay here. I need to grab my stuff from the office.”

“Why?” Michael croaked out, looking up confused. He looked oddly adorable like that, hair messed up and looking up at Geoff with wide innocent eyes.

“You’re not staying here alone.”

Michael frowned up at Geoff, the words still not quite making sense.

“What?”

“I’m looking after you. Go to sleep, idiot.” Geoff sighed, grabbing a blanket and throwing it over Michael. The younger man pulled it over himself and snuggled into it, sneezing as he did so.

Geoff paused for a moment, smirking at the picture in front of him. Michael ‘Rage Quit’ Jones was snuggled up on his sofa, sleepy and passive.

Geoff was very careful to leave the room quietly, seeing Michael’s eyes slide closed as he did. He was also careful as he left the house to do it quietly. Hopefully he’d be back before Michael woke up.

 

Michael jolted to full consciousness as he heard a door close. He blinked, mind bleary. A sofa met his gaze, glasses still on his nose. He opened his mouth to speak, to say anything but found out quickly that he couldn’t.

His throat was dry as a desert and hurt as if the sand from one had been poured down it. Michael struggled to his feet, swaying slightly as he did so. After a slight sniff he left the living room, blanket curled around his shoulders and trailing behind him.

Michael stumbled into the kitchen, with some vague remembrance of the layout of the house. He blinked blearily around the room before reaching for a glass that was on the table. He heard glass clanking and looked down. An empty bottle sat on the floor.

From the bottle his gaze wandered to the glass, inches from his hand. It was sat next to a scrap of paper and Michael, despite the sneeze that ripped through his body, had enough curiosity to sit down to read it.

The words slowly shivered into focus and Michael frowned down at them. This had to be a joke, had to be some kind of prank. But there, in front of his reddened eyes was a list.

**Reasons why Michael Jones is a bad idea.**

Michael’s eyes roved across it, reading the reasons before flipping it over. His eyes were drawn to one in particular, crossed out and re-written, given new words to say the same thing but meant so much more.

 

Geoff came home to the sound of violent vomiting.

“Oh shit.”

Geoff rushed towards the sounds, dropping his bag as he went. He cursed as he took in the state of the bathroom. Michael was hunched over the toilet, still heaving. A red blanket was half connected to his shoulder, the rest lying flat against the floor flowing out into the rest of the house.

Geoff really shouldn’t have started talking with Burnie.

“Michael, are you okay?”

The retching Geoff got in response was answer enough; not a good time to ask that question. So Geoff just knelt down beside the younger man, noticing the sweat that was gathering on his forehead, despite the shivers that ran through him.

When Michael had finally stilled, having emptied his stomach, they both just remained in that position. Geoff was slowly massaging Michael’s back as Michael hunched over the toilet. Michael was the one to break the silence.

“Geoff- Wate-” Michael suddenly leapt forwards and began to vomit again. Geoff took that as his cue to leave, intent on getting his friend some water. He also grabbed a box of Tylenol as an afterthought.

When he came back into the bathroom Michael was curled up on the floor, blanket having been thrown aside. He was shaking violently and didn’t even move his head as Geoff walked in.

Geoff lifted Michael’s head and felt a stab of worry at the glazed look in the man’s eyes.

“Michael?” Geoff asked urgently. At his voice Michael blinked a few times, focusing. Geoff breathed a great sigh of relief before pushing a few pills and the glass of water into Michael’s hands. He took both and screwed up his nose at the taste.

They stayed like that for half an hour, Michael slipping in and out of consciousness while Geoff continued to rub small circles into his back. Finally Geoff sighed and shook Michael gently. The man’s eyes opened slowly to take in Geoff. Michael suddenly sneezed violently, surprising himself with the noise that came out.

“Do you wanna stay here or go somewhere more comfortable?” Geoff asked, in what the lads referred to as his ‘parent’ voice. Michael debated it internally for a moment, not helped by how slow his brain was being.

“Couch?” Michael asked, a hopeful note in his voice. Geoff nodded and gave his hand for the younger man to hold on to. Michael gripped it tightly as he staggered to his feet. From there they walked back into the living room until Geoff deposited Michael onto the couch.

Michael pulled Geoff down with him and Geoff dragged a blanket over Michael before making to stand up. A hand shot out and grabbed him making him pause. He looked down into Michael’s face. The lad looked a bit better, as if the drug had finally kicked in, fighting whatever was in his system.

But his cheeks were still flushed, contrasting to the pallor the rest of his skin had gained. His nose was red and his eyes were bloodshot. His shivers had died down a bit but were still obvious. But what really struck Geoff was the ferocity within the man’s eyes.

“Stay.” Michael wheezed out, pulling as hard as he could on Geoff. The man didn’t even hesitate as he sat back down. Michael sniffled before snuggling into him, worming his way into the older man’s lap.

Geoff chuckled and pulled a blanket over Michael, making sure the man would be warm enough. He then looked down at the man and was surprised to see him still looking back.

“Michael, you good?”

Michael nodded but continued to stare. Geoff was getting worried for a moment before Michael spoke again.

“You’ve got experience for both of us?” His voice was husky but Geoff could still hear him. He frowned for a moment, wondering what the hell Michael was talking about. A brief thought flashed through his head that maybe Michael was hallucinating.

But then, through a haze of alcohol and bad decisions, it came back to him. The list. The list full of his thoughts on Michael. The list with that final damning point, the list he’d left on the table where anyone could read it.

Michael started coughing and Geoff couldn’t help but be glad for a moment as it gave him time to compose himself. He passed Michael a glass of water which he took and drank from greedily. But when Michael set it down he just repeated his question.

“Okay Michael, it’s not what it looks like, okay?” Geoff said, desperately. Michael just smirked up at him.

“Really? Sounds like you want to-”

Whatever Michael was about to say was cut off as he started to cough violently. Geoff was just about to drag him back into the bathroom when Michael finally lay back, spent. He turned his head to Geoff, obviously exhausted.

Michael opened his mouth but Geoff put a finger on his lips, effectively silencing him.

“Let’s talk about this when you wake up.”

Michael looked up at him before nodding, snuggling into the man’s lap again. Geoff couldn’t help as his hands pared through Michael’s hair. And if a small smile snuck onto his face then really, it wasn’t his fault. He was just glad Michael was getting better.

His mind wandered back to the scrap of paper, no longer perfect. It was covered in black ink, slightly staining through the page. There was a small smudge of ink where a drop of alcohol had dropped from the bottle held to Geoff’s lips. The edge had crumpled slightly, caught between the man and the table.

The old imperfections were still there but the most important mark on the page was at the bottom, cleanly marring both the pure white and blurring the lines of the relationship Geoff had with the man curled in his arms.

**Reasons why it might work**

**~~I like him~~** **I think I love him.**


End file.
